


Movie Night

by Gellsbells



Series: Bughead College Film Buffs AU [1]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, Fluff, Gen, May go into some light smut haven't decided yet, Prompt Fill, Tumblr Prompt, Watching Movies Together, maybe next time, so we didn't quite make it into smut territory, watch this space
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-19
Updated: 2017-07-31
Packaged: 2018-12-04 04:50:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11547828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gellsbells/pseuds/Gellsbells
Summary: Betty is sick of the substandard movies that are chosen to play at the makeshift college 'drive in' she decides she has had enough and on her mission to correct this injustice bumps into a beanie wearing student who is just as outraged. Based on the following prompt:You’re the only other one who voted for my favorite movie on movie night so do you just want to watch it in my room au





	1. The Drive In Dilemma

**Author's Note:**

> I have been dying to do a college AU with these two and I came across this prompt and I couldn’t resist. This will basically just be a cute little two parter full of fluff. This is part one. Also I apologise to lovers of the film Twilight, it’s not my thing so it’s the movie I chose. The Lobster however is one of my favourite films and if you haven’t seen it I would highly recommend it (although I do feel like it needs a trigger warning about a certain scene). I was going to go with the classic Bughead film, Rebel Without a Cause but I have never seen it and would find it hard to have the two of them discussing it without seeing it myself.

“You have to be kidding me. Again! Everytime.” Betty threw the flyer that had been posted under her door in the wastepaper basket under her desk. Her roommate Veronica looked at her as if she had lost her mind, which wasn’t exactly a look she was unfamiliar with receiving.

Betty had braced herself for a year of pain when she first saw her roommate Veronica Lodge walk into their college dorm room with her pearls around her neck, designer dress and Louis Voitton suitcase. Not to mention the man who had arrived with her carrying another set of perfectly matched suitcases. He wore white gloves and was dressed in a uniform. The girl had servants for Christs Sake. But Betty being Betty had smiled politely and offered her first choice of the beds.

Veronica had not turned out to be anything like Betty had imagined. She was not stuck up, well she was, but not in an unkind way. She had been raised in privilege which had shaped her personality in some ways but she was still a good person, a kind person and the two of them had become fast friends.

“What did the piece of paper do to you?” Veronica asked as Betty only humphed in response sitting on her bed cross legged as Veronica continued to lay on her bed flipping through her magazine.

“The college drive in.” Betty spat out after she had tried to hold it in. She remembered her elation when she had first heard about the makeshift drive in that the student residences put on every month. Her older sister Polly had told her all about it t Betty’s eager ears. An old style projector, onto the side of the student hall, picnic blankets and cocktails in summer and everyone snuggled and cuddled together in warm blankets and hot toddies in winter. The idea of it had captured the imagination of the cinephile in her and she had bounded happily to her dorm room to let Veronica know. That was until she had received the slip of paper under their door the first time. You see they let the student population choose. And in Betty’s opinion they had no taste whatsoever.

“Who chooses Twilight?” She exclaimed throwing her hands in the air. “Twilight?” she repeated her face screwed up as she said the words.

“I chose Twilight.” Veronica admitted, casually looking up at Betty to see the plain horror on her face before returning to her magazine.

“It’s like I don’t even know you sometimes.” Betty said dramatically shaking her head.

“Come on Betty.” Veronica sat up on her bed, closing her magazine. “It’s not even about the movie. It’s about snuggling up to some college hottie with a multitude of blankets while sipping on mulled wine.”

“Maybe for you Veronica. But I take my cinema experience very seriously.” She glanced at the crumpled up piece of paper in her wastebasket and could feel her anger and frustration bubbling up again. She hopped up of her bed and stalked over to the basket pulling out the leaflet before smoothing it out. Veronica watched her cautiously.

“What are you doing B?” A hint of trepidation in her voice.

“I’m going to complain.” Betty announced as she started putting on her flats. She looked at herself briefly in her wardrobe mirror before smoothing down her sweater and pulling her ponytail that little bit tighter. She gave herself a reassuring nod before spinning around to face the door, Veronica who was still eyeing her as if she had lost it. “I’m taking this to the RA and demanding that they put something of quality on that screen.” Veronica sighed as she picked up her magazine again.

“Well let me know how it all goes.” She said as she started to look through her magazine again.

“Oh I will.” Betty said determinedly as she left the room slamming the door behind her. Veronica rolled her eyes as she left. She pitied the poor person who was about to encounter Betty’s wrath.

***

Betty stalked the hallway leading up to the RA’s residence. Her feet hitting the ground beneath her hard, her ponytail swinging side to side, her jaw set in determination. She could hear as she was approaching that the RA was not alone. She cursed under her breath as she waited outside the doorway as she tried to take deep breaths so she wouldn’t go barging in there. She didn’t have to wait too long until the door swung open and another student, male, was standing in the doorway. He was tall, taller than her and wore a woollen beanie on his head, which wasn’t unusual for the weather this time of year. It did seem to be shaped like a crown though which was somewhat more noteworthy.

“This is bullshit,” he shouted behind him before he turned to leave almost knocking into Betty on the way out. “Sorry,” he mumbled under his breath before he continued past her. An older red headed boy stuck his head out from the door, to catch sight of Betty, his features softening as he saw her. That was until he saw what she was clutching in her hand his eyes widening. Betty regained her composure before straightening herself and looking their RA, Jason Blossom in the eyes.

“I’m here to make a formal complaint about the drive in movie selection,” she announced.

“Oh God, another one.” Jason dragged his hand over his face. “Look,” he sighed. “I’ll tell you what I told Jughead. We live in a democracy, we put what movie is shown out to a vote by the students. Everyone votes and we show that movie.”

“But surely the movies that are shown in college should have some substance, some meaning to them. We are in a place of learning.” Betty argued.

“Listen….,” he paused realising that he hadn’t caught her name.

“Betty,” she supplied. “Betty Cooper.”

“Right, Betty. Yes we are in a place of learning but that usually means people want to have fun when they're not learning. The drive in provides that.”

“But what about the sacredness of the cinematic experience.” Jason sighed again as he felt he was reliving the same argument he had just had with Jughead all over again.

“Did Jughead put you up to this?” He was getting frustrated now, he had had this argument with Jughead every time his suggested movie was not picked by the student population, it seemed he was now recruiting fellow students to make his life hell.

“I don’t know a Jughead.” Betty would remember meeting someone called that. “Wait was that the guy who just left. With the crown beanie.”

“Yeah he also came to share his disapproval with me, despite the fact, and I’m going to say it once again because maybe then it will sink in. I have no control over what plays.” Betty took a deep breath and was about to launch into another argument when the RA’s door was shut in her face and the click of a lock was heard. Betty stood fuming outside the door, her fists balled tightly as she tried to take deep calming breaths. She thought about raising her fist and banging on the door until it opened but thought better of it. Jason wasn’t going to budge. He’d made that clear, and if this Jughead had been trying for months then she was hardly going to sway his decision.

She slumped her shoulders in defeat before she started to walk back to her dorm room her feet dragging along.

***

“So how did it go?” Veronica asked as Betty came through the door. Betty glared at her before laying down on her bed face first. “That well hey.” Veronica teased as she came to sit next to Betty on the bed. She rubbed her friend’s shoulder gently and Betty turned to face her.

“He said there’s nothing he can do. Democracy.” Betty spat out. Veronica squeezed her shoulder sympathetically before smiling brightly at her.

“You should still come B. We can make it a girl’s night.”

“I thought you were going with Archie.” Betty sighed moving herself upright sitting up with her legs dangling over the side of her bed.

“I can tell him I need to spend some quality time cheering up my girl.” Veronica nudged her playfully and Betty couldn’t help the smile that was forming on her face. She felt so lucky to have found a friend like Veronica.

But then she remembered how happy and excited Veronica had been when she had burst through their door exclaiming that Archie had invited her to the drive in. They had gossiped all night that night. Veronica swooning over her new found love and Betty was happy for her although also wishing that she had someone of her own who could make her feel like that.

“No it’s okay.” Veronica’s eyebrows furrowed in concern. “ Really I’ll be fine.”

“You could come with us?” Veronica suggested. Betty balked at the suggestion.

“No, I don’t want to be a third wheel.”

“Please if anything Archie would be the third wheel.” Betty laughed and Veronica smiled proudly happy to see the smile return to Betty’s face.

“I’ll just watch my movie here. Sure my laptop and bed are no substitute for the drive in but I can make it work.”

“Okay. If you are sure.” Betty nodded. “Well can you help me choose something to wear for tomorrow night then?”

“Of course.”

***

Betty decided after trying to concentrate on her notes for a good half hour without being able to focus that she would take a walk around the campus. Veronica had gone to cheer practice, after they had picked out her dress, leaving Betty alone in their room. She walked down the path pulling her coat tighter around herself to protect herself from the cold biting wind. She thought about what Veronica had said about having someone to snuggle with. Betty hadn’t dated much. She had had one boyfriend in high school which had never really progressed further than some awkward kisses and hand holding. Betty was always so focussed on her future that sometimes she forgot to be in the present.

Veronica always encouraged her at the parties they attended together. Trying to get her to participate in the games they played but Betty felt she had transcended the game of Spin the Bottle since attending college. Veronica said she was just being a spoil sport. Veronica would try to get Betty to talk to boys, or boys to talk to Betty, but she found she couldn’t connect with them and they couldn’t with her. Although she didn’t actively pursue a love life it didn’t mean she didn’t yearn for one. She couldn’t deny that little pang of jealousy she felt when Veronica announced that Archie had invited her to a date at the drive in, not because she was interested in Archie or Veronica for that matter but she was jealous that they had been able to find a connection in each other.

It was while she wandered the grounds not quite sure of her destination that she saw the boy from earlier. Jughead Jason had called him. A strange name sure to have some deep and poignant meaning behind it. She hesitated whether she should approach him. To him she was a stranger coming up and chatting with him wouldn’t that seem odd, what if he thought she was a crazy stalker or something but she rationalised that people struck up conversations with each other everyday. She was good at talking to people, why couldn’t she talk to him especially if he was as passionate about film as she was.

She quickly pulled her ponytail a little tighter as she approached the table that he was sitting at hunched over the keyboard of his laptop and takeaway coffee cup to the side of it. She hovered near him, waiting for him to look up at her presence but he seemed too engrossed in his work to notice her.

“Hey Jug-Head?” She said softly the name sounding foreign on her tongue as she spoke it. He looked up at her hearing his name, and his eyes moved over her carefully before realisation seemed to strike.

“Hey, oh, you were outside Jason’s room today.” His face softening as he recognised her from their very brief encounter earlier that day.

“Yeah, you almost took me out. I'm Betty by the way.” She joked as she nodded towards the spare seat next to him and he moved over with his laptop providing her more space so that she could sit.

“Sorry about that I was pretty pissed off.” His eyes flicking back towards his laptop before he minimised the document he had been working on.

“About the drive in.”

“Yeah, how did you know.” He eyed her curiously.

“Jason told me. I was kind of there to complain about it too.”

“Twilight.” The disgust in his voice was clear. “I mean, if you are going to choose a vampire movie at least make it a good one.” There was an edge to his tone. He obviously was still unhappy with the decision much like Betty herself.

“I mean Nosferatu would be classic.” Betty answered.

“Exactly.” He said as he turned his body to face her. His laptop forgotten and his focus now directed at her. “I am glad there is at least one person on campus who shares my opinion.” There was a gleam in his eye and a smile spreading across his face that did funny things to Betty’s insides. “I am trying to suggest films that will make us think about things not just blindly absorb what we are shown. To question the narrative, the story, the character’s motivations. But my suggestions only ever seem to garner a few measly votes.”

“Well I think The Lobster would have been a much better choice,” Betty said encouragingly, her hand itching to touch his hand in comfort. The need to be someone’s comfort was overwhelming at times.  “I saw it at the Bijou when it opened. On my own couldn’t convince anyone else to come with me.”

“Hey I work at the Bijou, although in the projection room so kind of out of sight.” She could imagine him in the projector room, it seemed right that he would be there, strange woolen cap, suspenders, those tight jeans, the light from the projector flickering across his face catching the angles of his cheekbones.

“You are so lucky,” she responded snapping herself out of her own thoughts. She would have loved to have worked part time or even casually at the Bijou but with her course load and other pressures she couldn’t commit the time. That and her parents had worked so hard so that she would have the time to solely focus on her course work and not be distracted by working. But the Bijou had still become a safe haven for her. But she couldn’t imagine sitting up there in that projection booth getting to see every movie, she was jealous.

“Yeah I guess I am.” He nodded, as he took a sip from his coffee cup.

“Well I think your choices are always inspired. I just wish one of them would win, just once.” She sighed wistfully. She wanted nothing more to go to the drive in and actually watch something that meant something to her. It wasn’t just about snuggling next to a cute boy for her, it was a far greater experience and besides she didn’t have a cute boy to snuggle up to. As she kept reminding Veronica.

“Well I think the track record shows that I do not have a popular opinion.” A self deprecating smile crossed his face.

“I was so looking forward to watching it again as well.” Betty bowed her head in disappointment.

“We could.” Betty looked up at him. Had he really just suggested? “I mean, I have a copy of the movie if you wanted to - ”  

“I would really like that.” She agreed without considering further. She yearned to watch the film with someone who was as interested in the narrative as she was. Maybe it would be better than watching it on her own in her dorm room as she had already planned to do.

“Well, my roommate is attending the travesty that will be the drive in tomorrow night so if you wanted to come over to my room. Or I can bring the copy to your room if that would make you more comfortable.” He was playing with the sleeve of his shirt, not quite meeting her eyes as he spoke.

“I don’t mind going to yours. I can bring snacks,” she said cheerfully.

“Good, ah, my roommate is leaving pretty early for his date so anytime after 5.00pm would work.”

“Great it’s a date,” she clasped her hand over her mouth immediately as the words left her lips. “I mean it’s not a date, date, but like a calendar date. It’s a time, a meeting point.” She was rambling and she knew it desperately trying to grasp at words and dig herself out of her own embarrassment. The widening of his eyes had not gone unnoticed as she started to get up. She almost tripped over the seat as she made her legs move in the direction of her dorm before she started to blush and further embarrass herself.

“It’s 42C Jameson Wing.” Betty stopped for a moment to look at him confused. “My room,” he clarified.

“Great 42C.” she repeated back to him as she swung her bag over her shoulder and gave a quick wave as she walked away from the table the blush she was sure now fully across her cheeks. She was flustered, her stomach feeling like it was doing cartwheels and flips and all kinds of things a stomach should not be doing. He was cute, he had great taste in movies, and she was going to his room, just to two of them to watching a movie. She couldn’t wait to tell Veronica.


	2. Nolan and Tarantino

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go guys, thank you so much for your encouraging comments and kudos on this fic, your support and kind words mean so much.

 

Veronica was excited for her. As soon as she told her she would not be in their dorm room tonight because she was going to a boy’s room the squeal that Veronica had emitted had very near ruptured her eardrums.

 

“I knew you had it in you B.” Veronica wrapped her arm around her shoulder like a proud mamma bird finally seeing her baby bird spread her wings and embrace the full college experience. “Sooo what’s his name?”

 

“Jughead.” Veronica did a double take, her head cocked slightly to the side as if she may have misheard her.

 

“Jughead?”

 

“Yeah I think it might be a nickname.” Betty mused while Veronica’s eyes widened in realization.

 

“Wait a second Archie’s roommate has a weird name, I thought it was Juicebox, but maybe it was Jughead.” Veronica clapped her hands together in delight. “You are going out with Archie’s roommate.” Her voice had now taken on a sing song quality and Betty could see the cogs turning in her head processing all this information at once, probably forming plans for double dates and who knows what else.

 

“I’m just going over to watch a movie, it’s not a date.” Veronica sighed heavily, before taking Betty’s hand and leading her over to her bed encouraging her to sit beside her. “It’s not-” Veronica silenced Betty’s protests placing a finger up to her mouth.

 

“It’s a date Betty,” she stated simply, as Betty’s eyes widened. She knew it was a date, or was that just some wishful thinking on her part. He was interested in movies, she was interested in movies. People of the opposite gender can watch movies together alone in a college dorm room and not have any romantic feelings towards each other. Can’t they? “You are going to be alone in his dorm room, probably on his bed, his laptop between the two of you, an arm around your shoulder.” Betty imagined the scene in her head. She imagined them both reaching for the popcorn at the same time, their hands brushing accidently against each other, a shared laugh before their eyes would meet each other’s gaze. She shook her head trying to wipe the images from her mind. No it was just watching a movie.

 

“He chose The Lobster for drive in movie, he puts up a choice each month.”

 

“The unpopular choice.” Veronica reminded her.

 

“Maybe but it’s always the one I would choose.” Betty was happy to have someone who could appreciate good cinema as much as she loved Veronica her taste in movies sucked.

“Well B, what are you going to wear for your non-date date.” Betty pulled her bottom lip with her teeth. She hadn’t even thought about it yet. She wanted to look nice but not too nice, not like she had spent hours agonising over what she was going to wear for the night, even though she had a feeling that that was exactly what she was about to do at Veronica’s insistence.

 

***

 

Betty shifted nervously in front of his dorm room door, she could faintly hear music playing inside his room. It was something she didn’t recognise but it sounded pleasant to her ears. She shifted one of the two large shopping bags of snacks that she had brought for the evening into one hand while she raised the other to knock on his door.

 

The door opened almost immediately and she noted that he was still wearing the crown beanie that he had been earlier. Apparently that was part of his permanent wardrobe or so Veronica had informed her after sending several inquisitive texts to Archie. And yes, Jughead was in fact a nickname, but Archie wouldn’t tell her his real name through fear of Jughead’s retribution.

 

“Hey.” He opened the door wider for her so she could enter brushing past him.

 

“Where can I put these?” She held up the two rather large bags of snacks that she had brought with her. “I wasn’t sure what you liked so I just brought some of my faves and the classics.” She noticed him lick his lips as he eyed the bags and he pointed towards what she assumed was the desk on his side of the small dorm room.

 

“Over there.” She moved towards the desk placing the heavy bags down and turned around to fully take in the room. It was not as messy as she had imagined a room shared by two teenage boys may be, but she guessed that he had done some tidying up as well. The two of them looked at each other awkwardly for a while, both of them with their hands in their pockets, before glancing around the room. “Would you like something to drink?” Jughead asked her breaking the silence.

 

“Sure.” He moved over to the bar fridge located at the end of his bed and surveyed it’s contents.

 

“I’ve got Coke and Beer.” Betty knew the safe option was a coke. Best she keep a clear head. She had been drunk once in her life, one of her first nights on campus and it had not been a pretty picture. But one beer couldn’t hurt.

 

“Beer,” she announced confidently, straightening her posture a little at her decision. He pulled out two beers, twisting the tops off both using the bottom of his t-shirt and handing one to her. He held his out for her to clink her bottle into, almost like a little cheers before they endeavored on their film watching journey.

 

“You can sit on the bed.” He motioned towards the single bed on one side of the room. “Or I have the desk chair if that would be more comfortable,” he added quickly.

 

“Bed’s fine,” she answered as she jumped onto the single bed, her back resting against the pillow that had been placed against the wall, stretching her legs out in front of her. He picked up the laptop from his desk along with the desk chair. Placing the laptop on the chair in front of the bed, he moved again to Archie’s desk to get his desk chair and placed it in front of the bed before sitting on it. Betty watched him carefully as he leant forward to get the movie playing on the laptop.

 

“What are you doing?” she asked.

 

“I’m getting the movie started.” He looked at her quizzically before he returned to the task at hand.

 

“No I mean why are you sitting there. There’s plenty of room up here.” She patted the empty space next to her.

 

“I just thought you might -”

 

“Grab the snacks and get up here.” Betty was surprised by the strength of her own words. “Please.” she added to try and soften her request. He quickly pressed play on the video and grabbed both bags before hopping onto the bed next to her, still placing some space between the two of them. She handed him one of the pillows that was next to her and he placed it behind his back before opening one of the bags.

 

“What do you want?” He whispered as if they were in a cinema afraid of ruining the viewing experience of others.

 

“The Red Vines.” She turned towards him as he handed her the packet. She noticed him looking through the bag hesitating on making his own choice. “Take whatever you want,” she whispered to him before turning her attention immediately back to the screen in front of her as the words she had just used wash over her and she mentally kicked herself. He didn’t seem to notice, or he was just as embarrassed as she was as he pulled out a packet of Milk Duds and faced the screen as well.

 

They were both fully engrossed in the movie, laughing together at the appropriate parts and she was glad that he shared her dark sense of humor. When she had tried to get Veronica to watch the movie she had asked her to turn it off not even half way into the movie. Instead they put on a romantic comedy, not that Betty minded them once in awhile but it was nice to have someone who could understand her love for dark comedy.

 

“What animal do you think you would want to be turned into?” Betty whispered as she turned to Jughead waiting for his answer while she watched the movie from the corner of her eye.

 

“I think I would be a cat.” She waited for him to elaborate further. “Well they’re independent, survivors and it would good to always be able to land on your feet.” He threw a milk dud up into the air before catching it in his mouth. She gave a little clap at his achievement. “You?”

 

“A hawk.” He looked at her surprised at her choice. “Well I would want to be able to fly so I would want to choose a bird, but I also don’t want to be at the bottom of the food chain and be one of the small animals getting eaten by a bigger animal. So a hawk.” She took the packet of milk duds from him and tried to toss one into her mouth, but missed by quite a distance. “It’s the beer.”

 

“No I just think you aren’t very good at that,” he quipped, throwing another one up for himself and catching it in his mouth easily. Betty never one to be outdone took the packet from him again and tossed another up into the air, too high and off centre and it bounced off her forehead. The impact stunned her for a moment and his laughter filled the room. She rubbed her forehead in embarrassment as she watched him laugh. The way his nose and eyes wrinkled and he looked completely uninhibited. She couldn’t help herself and soon found herself laughing along with him.  

 

***

 

Betty took a deep sigh as the movie cut to black. She eyed the packets of open half eaten sweets that they had managed to work through during the movie. It was though Jughead was determined to try some of everything always offering her some first. There were also the 4 empty beer bottles that they had polished off during the movie on his night stand. She could feel the slight heat across her cheeks and neck a side effect of the alcohol and the enclosed space no doubt.

 

“Okay important question.” Betty sat straighter on the bed at the seriousness of his tone. “And the very future of our friendship depends on your answer.” A smirk crossing his face told her that he probably would let her get away with an incorrect answer. “Favourite director?” She sighed heavily at this collapsing onto her side in dramatics as she groaned.

 

“Don’t make me choose.”

 

“You have to.” He insisted leaning his body to the side to catch her eyes. Betty sighed in defeat and pulled herself upright again, thinking carefully about his question.

 

“Hmmm.” She was tapping her finger on her chin as she ran through a series of possible answers she had favourites for each genre, for each decade of film, how could she possibly choose just one out of so many. He watched her expectantly as she continued to think. She went to answer before pausing again, considering her answer so carefully. “Christopher Nolan.”

 

“Hmm.” He said nodding his expression giving nothing away about her choice.

 

“Hmm?” she responded, her eyes urging for him to elaborate further, to tell her his own thoughts rather than just making a sound in response.

 

“I just wouldn’t have guessed, thought you might go for a classic like Speilberg, you seem like a classic kind of girl.” She wasn’t sure how to take his statement, should she be offended that he thought she liked older more traditional things, did he think that she would be so predictable and hence maybe even boring.

 

“What’s yours?” she asked.

 

“Tarantino.” She let out a short laugh in response.

 

“Of course.” she rolled her eyes.

 

“What do you mean? Of course.” Jughead Jones did not like to be predictable he prided himself as not being one of the herd.

 

“Just you know, dark, tortured, mysterious it figures you would like Tarantino.” She shrugged her shoulders reaching over him for the unopened packet of M&Ms, meeting his eyes as she took a handful, a look of victory in her eyes. He sighed. Maybe he was a little predictable sometimes. “What now?” She said finishing her mouthful of candy and eyeing him carefully.

 

“Well we could watch another movie.” He suggested, she nodded eagerly and he found himself smiling at her. It felt so easy between the two of them. He knew he should feel nervous a pretty girl like Betty Cooper alone with him in his dorm room. Archie had given him a wolf whistle when he had let him know that a girl would be over tonight, before Jughead had insisted that it wasn’t like that.

 

If Betty’s love life had been uneventful up to and including college, Jughead’s had been non-existent. He wasn’t exactly what girls had gone for in highschool he kept to himself. Attended classes and stayed on the outer fringe as much as he could. Not that he ever went completely unnoticed, the jocks it seemed had a far reaching sonar for those who wished to go unnoticed. He had been bullied, sure, but he had survived. Even had managed to fight back on occasion but at the end of the day he was still that scrawny weirdo from the wrong side of the tracks.

 

College he had imagined would be much the same. He would attend his classes, stay on the fringe. He had always been more of an observer than an active participant. Then he had been roomed with Archie Andrews. Jughead could practically smell the Jock coming off of him as soon as he entered the room. He had already been formulating the contents of his request to transfer rooms form in his head, when Archie had introduced himself, holding out a hand for him to shake. Jughead had taken it cautiously always waiting for the punch that was coming masked by kindness. But it never came. Archie was a decent guy, still a jock, but decent and despite himself they became friends.

 

“Should I make some popcorn?” Her voice broke into his thoughts and he saw that she had moved off the bed a packet of microwave popcorn in her hand as she stood next to the microwave.

 

“Sure. I’ll choose a movie. Any requests?”

 

“Action. After that film I need to see some things getting epically destroyed.” She winked at him and he felt his stomach drop. He had felt the same feeling when she had asked him to take

he wanted and several images had crossed his mind, while he tried to keep his face passive.

 

He carefully looked through the list of films before smiling to himself. “Batman Begins?” he asked already having a pretty good idea of what the answer would be.

 

“Now I know you're just trying to get in my good books. Choosing a Nolan film.”

 

He shrugged his shoulders. “I’m just trying to be a good host.”

 

“Well you are being an excellent host.” The microwave beeped and he moved to his cupboard to grab a bowl holding it in front of her for her to empty the freshly popped popcorn into. The aroma filling the air. He grabbed two drinks from the fridge, pressed play on his laptop and sat back down on his bed. She soon joined him. He noticed that she sat herself a little closer this time placing the bowl in between them. He tried to concentrate on the film in front of him but found himself distracted.

 

Betty seemed more engrossed in the film than he was. He could occasionally see her mouth the words and he wondered how many times she had seen this one.

 

His hand brushed up against her knee and she froze. He was reaching for the bowl of popcorn between them and had misjudged where it was. He could see her body tense up at the contact and he scolded his own clumsiness.

 

“Sorry,” he mumbled under his breath.

 

“It’s okay.” He felt her hand rest over his own before he was able to draw it away from it’s current location. He shot a questioning look in her direction, her eyes were still focused on the screen but he could feel her thumb tracing the back of his hand. He felt as though he could learn to  lose himself in those little touches. He had lost complete interest in the film, which really had been used as a way to keep her there for a little bit longer, not wanting the night to end just yet. He watched the way the light played across her face, the pale blue light highlighting her face, the small tug of a smile in the corner of her lips. And now he knew he was doomed as his attention had been drawn to her lips. He imagined how they would feel against his own. How he would trace the curve of her neck with his thumb hoping that she would keen into his touch. He shifted uncomfortably and when his leg brushed up against hers she turned to face him, meeting his gaze immediately.

 

There was a moment’s hesitation as he felt that he had been caught staring at her, before she shifted towards him and her lips brushed against his. Soft. Her lips were impossibly soft. She pulled back and he stopped her with his hand at the back of her neck, pulling her back again so that his lips could have another taste. He felt her lips responding in kind to his insistent lips returning his kiss with just as much force.

 

His thumb traced her collarbone, travelling up her neck to cup her face as his lips moved to her neck, feeling her move her body against him as the bowl was knocked to the floor in her eagerness to feel closer to him. Her hand rested on his chest as his hand dropped to her waist holding her against his body as his lips returned to hers, running his tongue over the seam of her lips begging for permission. She relented and sighed into his mouth as he deepened the kiss and his grip on her waist tightened in response.

 

She pulled back to examine his face, her fingers running over his features. The ones that she has been admiring all night, sneaking glances when he wasn’t looking. Watching the shifting light from the screen move across his face, highlighting his cheekbones just as she had imagined.

 

“That was nice,” she whispered breaking the silence between them.

 

He placed a hand over his heart in mock hurt, “Just nice?”

 

“More than nice,” she corrected as she reached over to lace his hand in hers. “You know we should do this every month your movie loses.”

 

“That would be every month then.” He wrapped his arm around her tighter as she leant up against his chest.

 

“It’s a date.”

 


End file.
